The Underground Family Foundation
THE UNDERGROUND FAMILY FOUNDATION is a private foundation that made 10 grants totaling $1,515,513 in 2024. Its filing describes grant purposes as “to support various programs.” The available information does not specify where the foundation is based.
Key facts about The Underground Family Foundation
In short: The Underground Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $152K), top state Ohio. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 85-3794803
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,515,513
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- Average grant
- $151,551
- Median grant
- $75,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2024)
- Total assets
- $29,808,099
- Primary geography
- Ohio (44% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- N/A.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$29.8M
+5.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
-17.8% YoY
Grant Count
10
-37.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$152K
+31.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Underground Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Underground Family Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $245K; repeat grants $112K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 60% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No separate mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants went to a range of organizations. For example, Alliance for Decision Education describes its mission as empowering students with skills and dispositions for making better decisions. American Friends of Sheba Medical says it supports medical care, research, and technology at Sheba Medical Center. Central Fund of Israel describes its purpose as enabling donations to reach charities in Israel.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $1,515,513. Grant amounts ranged from $513 to $664,000, with a median of $75,000. The largest awards included $664,000 to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund & PIF, $250,000 to Central Fund of Israel, $220,000 to Chabad of Gramercy Park, $170,000 to Alliance for Decision Education, and $100,000 to Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. The listed purposes for these grants were “to support various programs.”
Review Cycle
** N/A.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 grant dollars were reported by recipient state as Ohio 44%, New York 37%, Pennsylvania 18%, Washington, DC 2%, and Massachusetts 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 10 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT FUND & PIF Cincinnati, OH | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $664,000 |
| CENTRAL FUND OF ISRAEL Cedarhurst, NY | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $250,000 |
| CHABAD OF GRAMERCY PARK New York, NY | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $220,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR DECISION EDUCATION INC Bala Cynwyd, PA | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $170,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION Philadelphia, PA | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SHEBA MEDICAL New York, NY | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN ISRAEL EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC Washington, DC | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $25,000 |
| CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF THE HAMPTONS East Hampton, NY | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $20,000 |
| BELEV ECHAD INC New York, NY | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $16,000 |
| PAN-MASSACHUSETTS CHALLENGE INC Needham, MA | TO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS | $513 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $29,808,099 | $3,094,593 | $1,653,225 | $1,515,513 |
| 2023 | $28,366,731 | $2,819,590 | $1,856,696 | $1,844,652 |
| 2022 | $27,403,837 | $1,196,557 | $1,204,422 | $1,177,000 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,808,099 | $28,366,731 | $27,403,837 |
| Revenue | $3,094,593 | $2,819,590 | $1,196,557 |
| Expenses | $1,653,225 | $1,856,696 | $1,204,422 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,525,978 | $1,849,485 | $1,188,722 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,578,735 | $2,276,537 | $656,354 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,405,725 | $1,410,402 | $929,271 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Thomas Peters as chair, treasurer, and director, and Bat Sheva Peters as vice chair, secretary, and director.
The Underground Family Foundation is led by Thomas Peters, Chair, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Thomas Peters
Chair, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bat Sheva Peters
Vice Chair, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Thomas Peters
Phone: (917) 749-0169
Email: peters@25plaza.net
Frequently asked questions about The Underground Family Foundation
How much does The Underground Family Foundation give each year?
The Underground Family Foundation gave $1.5M across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 16 grants.
What is The Underground Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Underground Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $75,000, and its average grant was $151,551, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Underground Family Foundation that year got $245K on average.
Where does The Underground Family Foundation give grants?
The Underground Family Foundation's top state is Ohio, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (37%) and Pennsylvania (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants).
Does The Underground Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Underground Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Various Programs" (10 grants).
Who are The Underground Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Underground Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund & Pif ($664,000), Central Fund of Israel ($250,000) and Chabad of Gramercy Park ($220,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Underground Family Foundation?
The Underground Family Foundation reported $29.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Underground Family Foundation fund?
No separate mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants went to a range of organizations. For example, Alliance for Decision Education describes its mission as empowering students with skills and dispositions for making better decisions. American Friends of Sheba Medical says it supports medical care, research, and technology at Sheba Medical Center. Central Fund of Israel describes its purpose as enabling donations to reach charities in Israel.
How do I apply for a grant from The Underground Family Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Underground Family Foundation's EIN?
The Underground Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3794803. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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The Underground Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?